One of the latest reactions is coming from Nigerian Lawyer and politician, Olisa Metuh who has written an open letter of appeal to the minister of justice asking for the immediate and unconditional release of the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Metuh is urging the minister of Justice to advise President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government to leverage the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal in Kanu's case to bring enduring peace in the South East and further foster the unity of the country.
The signed letter reads;
“I write most respectfully to appeal for the immediate and unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu following the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja.
“A lot of Nigerians had always urged for a political solution to the Nnamdi Kanu issue, but the Federal Government of Nigeria had insisted otherwise. Now that the Appellate Court has pronounced so clearly on this matter, the Federal Government is expected to duly comply accordingly.
"History beckons on the President to transcend legalism and harken instead to a reassuring and statesmanlike pragmatism with special reference to cases and situations such as this delicate matter of Nnamdi Kanu.
"As the longest serving Attorney-General of the Federation in history, I implore you to use your wealth of experience, exposure, and knowledge to advise Mr. President and the Federal Government to take advantage of the Court of Appeal judgment and enthrone lasting peace in the South East Zone and strengthen the unity of the nation.
" It is incontrovertible that the immediate and unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will lead the way to minimize armed conflicts, kidnapping, and civil unrest in the South East and its environs. It is even envisaged that such a release will douse tension in the entire country, especially at this critical time.
"History beckons, Learned Silk. May God grant you the courage, wisdom, and understanding to seek this golden path,” Metuh noted.
Nnamdi Kanu not acquitted - National Security Council Supports Malami.
Olisa Metu's appeal is coming as the National Security Council on Friday expressed its support for the Attorney General's position that the judgment of the Appeal Court on the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, was not an acquittal.
Addressing state house correspondents after a meeting of the security council, Friday Nigeria’s Minister of police affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi said “The issue of Kanu has also been raised and the council was briefed on the state of things on the matter.
"And it was observed that Kanu was discharged but he is not acquitted so, the government is considering the appropriate action to be taken on the matter and Nigerians will be notified of the position that will be finally taken on the matter in due course”.
Also present at the press briefing was the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, who disclosed that the security council did not discuss the issue of a possible political solution to Kanu's matter which Malami had raised in November 2021.
Reacting to a question on the allegation by the IPOB that the military always compels any hard criminal arrested in the Southeast to claim to be a member of IPOB's Eastern Security Network, ESN, to implicate the group, the CDS said the allegation is not true, adding that IPOB thrives on propaganda and should not be taken seriously.
Last year, while answering questions on Kanu and Yoruba separatist agitator, Sunday Igboho, in a television interview, the AGF, Abubakar Malami had been quoted as saying, “As far as the security situation is concerned and as far as governance and this administration is concerned, you cannot rule out all possibilities. But then, there has to be an approach for the government to consider.”
However, in what appears to be a surprising twist, the federal government in its first official reaction to Thursday's judgment by the Court of Appeal indicated that it is considering pressing further charges against the IPOB leader.
A statement on Thursday by the AGF Abubakar Malami did not commit to releasing Kanu as ordered by the Court. The statement read in part; “Let it be made clear to the general public that other issues that predate rendition based on which Kanu jumped bail remain valid issues for judicial determination. The Federal Government will consider all available options open to us on the judgment on rendition while pursuing determination of pre-rendition issues".
Nnamdi Kanu's Lawyer is to file a cross-appeal if FG refuses to obey Court Order.
Meanwhile, the lead counsel for Nnamdi Kanu, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, has said that he will seek legal redress in Court if the Federal Government goes ahead to appeal the Appeal Court judgment that discharged and acquitted the IPOB leader.
Reacting to Malami’s recent statement, Ozekhome said in an interview on Channels Television that he will file a cross-appeal, adding that the Federal Government which stated that Nnamdi Kanu made a broadcast did not say where he made the broadcast and the law stipulates that the person can only be tried when the place and time a crime was committed has been established.
Ozekhome called on the Federal Government to allow Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to be released in obedience to the judgment of the Appeal Court as that will bring peace to the Southeast.
Do not twist the Appeal Court ruling, Falana tells the Federal government.
Reacting also, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN asked the federal government not to misrepresent the ruling of the Appeal Court.
In a release, Falana said, "In the case of Nnamdi Kanu vs Federal Government of Nigeria, the Federal High Court had upheld the preliminary objection of the defense team led by Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN and dismissed 8 out of the 15-count charge against the defendant.
" In its judgment delivered yesterday, (Thursday) the Court of Appeal dismissed the remaining 7-count charge and discharged Mr. Kanu on the main ground that his rendition in Kenya had rendered the entire proceedings in the Federal High Court illegal under the Nigerian Constitution and international law.
"Consequently, the Court of Appeal ordered Mr. Kanu's immediate and unconditional release from the custody of the State Security Service.
"Therefore, the claim of the Federal Government that there are some pending charges against Mr. Kanu in the Federal High Court is a contemptuous mockery of the Court of Appeal whose judgment is binding on all authorities and persons in Nigeria by section 287 of the 1999 Constitution of the Republic, " Falani added.
IPOB faults the federal government's interpretation of the Appeal Court Judgement.
For its part, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has joined in condemning the federal government's position on the court judgment.
In a statement by IPOB media and publicity secretary, comrade Emma Powerful, the group said in part "The Nigeria President publicly told Elder Amaechi Mbazulike, professor George Obiozor, Ohaneze Ndigbo President and other Igbo leaders who visited and appealed for presidential fiat to be applied in the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu but the President said that they should wait for the court to decide.
"Even in one of the international meetings, the Ex-British Prime Minister, Mr. Boris Johnson asked him why is Mazi Nnamdi Kanu still in detention, and he claimed that he will not interfere with the judiciary. Now the same Judiciary has decided on this case. They must obey their court and stop making a mockery of themselves both locally and internationally."
"The Appeals Court discharged and acquitted our Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from all charges against him because of Nigeria's executive rascality in kidnapping and extraordinarily renditioning him from Kenya to Nigeria.
"But for the Attorney General, Malami, and DSS Agents to interpret the ruling otherwise means that they are either legally daft or they want to be above the Nigeria constitution that they claim to uphold.
We, in IPOB, will not take such legal barbarism from Malami and those he represents lying down ."
An Appeal Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday discharged and acquitted the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu of terrorism charges brought against him by the federal government, but the Federal Government through the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami said that Nnamdi Kanu was discharged and not acquitted, adding that the judgment of the Appeal Court "was on a single issue that borders on rendition.”
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